Nine oil tankers set ablaze on NH-39

IMPHAL, January 23:In an incident that has no precedent in Manipur, altogether nine loaded oil tankers were set ablaze by suspected underground militants this morning on National Highway 39, at a place close to Karong in the Senapati district. The tankers, six carrying petrol, two high-speed diesel and one kerosene, were returning to Imphal after loading up at Kharkoti, near Tinsukia in Assam. Each tanker was carrying 10 to 12 kilolitres of oil. The All Manipur Petroleum Products Transporters Association has since decided to suspend all services indefinitely in protest against the incident. All service stations in the state were also closed down by the association this afternoon. According to reports, around 30 well-armed militants, dressed in camouflage uniforms stopped the oil tankers at a turning in the road about three kilometers north of Karong at around 8.00 am. After forcing the drivers to alight from the vehicles after freeing the gears, the militants pushed eight of the oil tankers into the nearby gorge. They then set fire to the tankers by shooting at the tanks containing oil, which caught fire instantly. The reports said none of the drivers were allowed to make a protest. The militants later escaped into the nearby hills. According to K Chaobei, SDPO, Senapati, the oil tanker drivers informed the Senapati police of the incident, and fire tenders from Kangpokpi and Senapati were rushed to the site. As the fire was too great to control, reinforcements had to be sent in from the Imphal fire station. Repeated explosions and the highly inflammable nature of the tankers' content made the firefighters job extremely difficult, but the fire was put out late in the evening. By the time media persons reached the spot at around 3 pm this afternoon, the oil tankers, one of them still on the roadside and the rest in the 100-150 meters deep gorge had been reduced to charred skeletons, from which smoke continued to pour. With oil from the tankers soaking into the soil, the gorge itself was on fire, giving forth a thunderous roar and frequent explosive noises. Of the nine tankers, the owners of five have been identified. Two belong to one Lokeshwar of Uripok, one to K Rameshwar, another to K Kanta of Bamon Kampu and one Kanta of Uripok. It may be recalled that in an earlier incident an oil tanker was burnt down by KYKL (O) activists near Tadubi in Senapati district on December 31 last, allegedly for non-payment of financial demands, and in consequence, the All Manipur Petroleum Products Transporters Association suspended services till January 11. Despite government assurance to the transporters to take adequate measures to provide them protection, no security escorts were provided to the tankers, sources said. According to another report, all oil service stations in Imphal were closed down by the Association this afternoon in protest. It also reported that the association has decided to suspend all services indefinitely until the government can assure their safety.